This invention relates to a hand-starting mechanism for an internal combustion engine.
Present safety regulations for hand-starting mechanisms require a safety device against kickback of the starting handle. Kickback occurs when the internal combustion engine does not overcome the upper dead center when firing thus generating a movement opposite to its normal sense of rotation. Due to this opposite movement the engine operator receives a blow on his hand and arm which may cause painful injuries. In order to prevent this danger anti-kickback devices are used consisting of a freewheel device which prevents the kickback movement and permits the starting movement. For example in the starting mechanism according to British Pat. No. 1 562 677 the starting shaft is rigidly connected with the inner rotary part of the freewheel device. This has the disadvantage that the freewheel device has to support the full force of the kickback. In the starting mechanism according to British Pat. No. 1 562 677 the starting handle is connected with the starting shaft via a yieldabe entrainment device in order to avoid the abrupt stopping of the cranking movement by the blocked freewheel device.